As you may, or may not know, Halloween originated about 2,000 years ago when people dressed up with masks and costumes to scare off ghosts and other spirits that they believed visited them on October 31st. Spooooooooooky…

As a kid I loved Halloween. I still do. I love the costumes. I love the cheesy decorations. I love the candy corn.  I remember the feeling of joy when finding the house with the ‘good candy’. You know what I mean… The house with the chips and the chocolate bars.

Have you ever wondered why we give out candy on Halloween? A quick Google search will tell you that the tradition stems from the middle ages when food was left out on the front step for the dead who wander the streets trying to return home. People though the spirits would get angry and haunt their loved ones if they didn’t leave an offering. Today it’s not that far off… we give out candy to ward off tricks.

So when it came time to buy candy, my hubby and I immediately decided to be that house with the ‘good candy’. Here’s five things that I’ve learned over the years about being the house with the ‘good candy’:

1. You will eat most of the ‘good candy’ way before Halloween and need to buy more. Sometimes twice over.

2. Even though you have the ‘good candy’ you will still give more per kid than you think because it feels cheap giving out one mini chocolate bar. So buy twice the amount you think you’ll need.

3. When giving out those mini chocolate bars, you will end up prioritizing which ones can go first. You know, so you can save the ones you like. In our house, Kit Kats and Crunchies are saved for last.

4. You will eventually realize it’s pointless to ration out the candy as you’re going to end up giving it all away anyways. Besides, you can buy more tomorrow to gorge on… at half price!

5. You will see some kids five times over. And you’ll have to learn to just roll with it. You are, after all, the house with the ‘good candy’.

As we head into Trick or Treating tonight, there is something else I’ve learned… Sometimes it’s okay to be the house with the mediocre candy.